ʻĀnela kiaʻi
by Fifilla
Summary: A gust of wind swept across the concrete pavement, tousling Steve's dark head of hair as well as Danny's blond one. The cool breeze was eerie and comforting at the same time and suddenly Danny knew for sure that he was no longer alone at Steve's side.
1. Chapter 1

**ʻĀnela kiaʻi**

**Notes:  
**ʻĀnela kiaʻi is Hawaiian for guardian angel.

**Disclaimer:  
**I own nothing, I'm just playing a little bit and try to return the boys as unscathed as possible.

**Thanks:  
**As always a huge thank-you to **JazzieG** for the fast beta work, thanks that I can always rely on you!  
Thanks to **rewob17** for being my writing buddy ;-)

* * *

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand and squeezed his eyes shut in a vain attempt to get rid of the lingering headache that had bothered him all day long. Turning off the engine of the Camaro he briefly leaned his head against the headrest and enjoyed the momentary silence. He took a few deep breaths, his right hand clawing around the car keys as he tried to concentrate on the cold metal between his fingers.

He had woken up even earlier than usual that morning, dizzy and slightly nauseous, but after an evening with a little bit too much alcohol he hadn't been too surprised about the way his head had felt. Steve usually didn't drink that much but this time of the year he always wanted to forget and he had found out that one or two glasses of bourbon helped somehow to keep the saddest memories at bay. The last few days had been difficult for him and Steve was just glad that the team had been busy with their latest case so he didn't have too much time to think about the date; March 15th, his father's birthday. His old man would have been 73 today and it should have been an occasion to celebrate, not to mourn – and certainly not to lead a raid on a bunch of drug dealers in an abandoned warehouse.

Heaving a deep sigh, Steve tried to chase away the memories of his father as he thought about the fact that the bad guys always seemed to hide in one of those huge warehouses. Cautiously blinking his eyes open when he felt his partner's inquiring gaze resting on him, Steve forced a smile onto his lips; Danny seemed to understand that he hasn't been in the mood for their usual bantering and so far the smaller man had held his tongue but now he obviously couldn't keep silent any longer.

"What's the matter with you today?" he heard Danny ask; the other man's voice filled with concern instead of the anger or annoyance that usually accompanied that very same question. "Are you alright?"

Was he alright?

To be honest, Steve had no idea what exactly was wrong with him today. He had felt a little better after his usual morning swim, the cool water of the Pacific helping a bit to suppress the worst of the pain but the annoying buzzing in his head just didn't want to go away, not even after swallowing a few pain killers. It wasn't really a headache and it was actually hard to describe what he was feeling; it was like someone was constantly whispering in his ear and the more Steve strained to understand the words the more the voice seemed to fade away.

"Steve, are you alright?" Danny's surprisingly quiet voice disturbed his musings once again and Steve felt a touch on his forearm, his friend's fingers providing a comfortable pressure against his skin.

Barely able to make out the words over the annoying buzzing in his head, he took a deep breath and answered with a slight nod. "Yeah, just a headache," he murmured, trying to reassure his partner with a forced smile. He knew that Danny probably didn't believe a single word he was saying but at the moment Steve just couldn't find the energy to search for the reason of his indisposition – not with the memories of his Dad lingering in his thoughts and certainly not with their current case and the imminent raid that required his full concentration.

"Are you sure?" Danny's voice was still gentle and filled with genuine concern and even before the other man removed his hand from his arm, Steve knew what he'd suggest next. "Why don't you wait in the car? SWAT is already here and Duke brought at least another twenty men with him, I'm sure we'll manage without you."

"No, I'm good," Steve replied immediately as he finally turned his head to look at his friend, not really surprised about the worry he saw in the other man's eyes. He took a few deep breaths and pushed the fatigue to the farthest corner of his mind, trying to make his smile a little bit more believable. "Honestly, Danny, you don't have to worry. I didn't sleep so good last night," Steve finally admitted, knowing that their conversation was far from over and that Danny would probably force him to go home as soon as he got the chance. "It's just a headache."

Not giving Danny the chance to reply, Steve opened the door and exited the car, narrowing his eyes against the bright sunlight. Hurrying to join his team, he left his partner behind as he gritted his teeth against the constant buzzing and whispering in his head.

* * *

Throwing a worried look at his partner every now and then, Danny kept silent during the whole drive to the old warehouse, totally against his usual behavior. He knew that Steve hadn't felt so good the last few days but knowing about the meaning of today's date for his friend he had decided to give him a little space. Danny knew how it felt to mourn for a family member and that it was sometimes just better to be alone with his memories.

But when he now took in the pallor of Steve's face and watched the other man closing his eyes and wearily leaning back in his seat, he couldn't hold his tongue any longer. "What's the matter with you today?" he finally asked, trying to keep his voice as gently as possible; the way Steve pinched the bridge of his nose and the constant frown on his forehead told Danny that the taller man was probably nursing one hell of a headache. "Are you alright?"

Danny knew for sure that something was wrong when Steve didn't answer his question immediately but just sat there with his eyes closed, the lines of stress on his forehead only smoothing slightly as he breathed slowly and deeply through his nose.

Looking out the window Danny saw that the rest of the team were already gathered in front of the large, black SWAT transporter, ready for action and only waiting for their leader; he exchanged a brief look with Chin and gave the older man a sign that they would join them soon.

"Steve, are you alright?" he quietly repeated his question, placing a hand on the other man's forearm as he waited for an answer, his brow furrowed in genuine concern. Danny suppressed an annoyed little sigh when he saw the forced smile on Steve's face and the slight nod of his head; his Neanderthal animal of a partner would never admit that he wasn't alright, never showing how he really felt.

"Just a headache," Steve murmured, as expected downplaying his condition.

"Are you sure?" Danny asked, only very hesitantly removing his hand from Steve's arm. "Why don't you wait in the car? SWAT is already here and Duke brought at least another twenty men with him, I'm sure we'll manage without you," he suggested although he knew that Steve would never agree to stay back.

"No, I'm good."

Steve's standard answer did nothing to sooth Danny's worry and when Steve finally turned his head and locked eyes with his partner, Danny wasn't really surprised that that the lines of pain were back on Steve's forehead. "Honestly, Danny, you don't have to worry," Steve added and his faked smile brightened a little bit when he admitted that he hadn't slept very well the night before. "It's just a headache," he repeated and before Danny was able to say anything else, Steve exited the car and walked toward the rest of his team with large, firm strides.

"It's just a headache, he says," Danny murmured with another little sigh, raising his eyebrows as he looked after his friend. He briefly scrubbed his hands over his face before he climbed out of his Camaro and slowly followed the taller man. Danny couldn't help but notice Steve's tensed posture and the way he kept his shoulders a little bit too straight; McGarrett might perhaps be able to fool the others but Danny knew his partner well enough to see that the headache was bothering him more than he cared to admit and he swore to himself that he'd make Steve go home and rest as soon as this case was over.

Walking over to the rest of his team, Danny was just about to readjust the fasteners of his Kevlar vest when he heard the quiet sound of footsteps behind him. "What?" he asked in surprise, whirling around when someone softly called his name.

The premises should have been fenced off for everyone but HPD and Five-0, and as far as he could see all the police officers were gathered in front of the SWAT transporter; looking around Danny breathed out a nervous little giggle when he found the entire area around the old warehouse completely empty. "What the hell?" he growled under his breath, narrowing his eyes as he slowly turned around his own axis. A sudden gust of wind tousled his hair and Danny swore that, for a brief moment, he actually felt a touch on his shoulder.

"Danny, are you coming?"

He winced at the sound of Chin's voice but the interruption chased the weird feeling away and another moment later Danny wasn't sure anymore if he had really felt anything.

"Coming," he replied loudly, once more looking over his shoulder before he forcefully shook his head and finally stepped next to his partner. Trying to concentrate on Steve's voice, Danny only listened with half an ear to the explanations their boss was giving the SWAT team; they had already thoroughly discussed the plan of action and Danny knew exactly where everyone had to be and what they had to do, so he couldn't prevent his thoughts as they travelled back to the strange feeling he had just had. There was no one around and yet he had been so sure that someone was standing behind him and calling his name. A shiver of foreboding ran down his spine but at the same time he felt secure, guarded; the dichotomy of those feelings caused him to shake his head in confusion and he wearily wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead.

He had absolutely no idea what was going on but before Danny could sort out his feeling about the weird sensation, McGarrett gave the sign to attack and soon the raid was in full swing.

* * *

"Well, that was fast," Danny said contentedly, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he removed his Kevlar vest and tossed it into the trunk of his Camaro. He turned around when he heard Chin breathe out an affirmative snort and grinned slightly. "And not even danger magnet McGarrett managed to ruin the day this time."

Silently nodding, Chin briefly returned the smile and looked expectantly at Danny for a moment before he jerked his head toward their boss. "Any idea what's wrong with him these last few days?" the older man asked quietly, a hint of concern coloring his usually Zen-like voice.

Slamming shut the trunk lid Danny shoved both hands into the pockets of his pants and pensively nibbled on his lower lip; he slightly turned his head, frowning when he threw a look at his partner who was standing a few feet away, just about to remove his own vest as he talked to the SWAT captain, probably thanking the man for his help. Even from the distance Danny could see that Steve's fingers were slightly trembling when he raised his hand to wearily rub his temple. Worriedly watching his friend for a moment Danny finally heaved a deep sigh and turned his attention back to Chin. "You know him, it's almost impossible to make him talk even on one of his better days," Danny tried to explain with an almost invisible shrug of his shoulders, briefly waving his right hand through the air before he shoved it back into his pocket. "He wouldn't tell me but I guess it's about his father's birthday."

"Yeah, I thought so," Chin nodded sadly, for a moment caught in his own thoughts about John McGarrett; he had always highly appreciated the man and he still dearly missed him, not only as his mentor but also as a friend.

The two teammates stood in silence, Danny's eyes still trained on his partner. He slightly shook his head in confusion when he felt the sudden urge to be at Steve's side; the feeling of imminent threat was constantly increasing and it was almost like someone was physically shoving him towards his friend.

"I think I'd better check on him," he murmured when he watched Steve scrubbing his hands over his face and hair before he wearily leaned against one of the wooden crates behind him, looking every bit as if he was ready to drop down without that support. Briefly averting his eyes from Steve when he remembered that they still had a case to close, he turned back toward Chin. "Do you mind if you handle things with HPD?"

"Don't worry, I have it covered," Chin interrupted him without hesitation, flashing Danny a reassuring smile. "Go. Make sure he's alright."

"Thanks," Danny replied absently, already on his way toward his partner, the feeling that the other man needed him almost overwhelming. He slightly grimaced in annoyance when he saw Steve giving him a little sign, of course he would just tell him again that everything was alright but this time Danny wouldn't let himself be fobbed off so easily. He had kept a close eye on his friend during the whole raid and even if he had to admit that Steve had handled things with his usual dedication and flawlessness Danny just knew that something was wrong.

Danny had barely covered half the distance when Steve suddenly doubled over, blindly reaching for the nearest crate for support. His Kevlar vest slipped from his hand and dropped to the ground and Steve groaned in agony as he pressed his flat hand against his temple.

"Shit," Danny growled worriedly, sprinting the last few steps to his partner. "Steve," he shouted, immediately grabbing Steve's upper arm with one hand to keep him upright, his other hand lightly pressed against the small of his back where he could feel the sweaty fabric underneath his fingers and the slight tremor that racked Steve's body. "Steve, what's wrong?"

Instead of answering the dark-haired man just groaned Danny's name between rapid gasps, his eyes tightly squeezed shut and a fine sheen of sweat covering his pale face. Unconsciously pressing his fingers into the skin of Steve's arm, Danny desperately tried to find out what was wrong, calling Steve's name over and over again in an attempt to get his partner's attention.

"Steve, come on, talk to me. What's wrong?" Danny asked, and he was just about to call for help when the trembling suddenly stopped and Steve stood up straighter with a surprised pant, shakily breathing in and out as he stared down at the smaller man.

"Steve, can you hear me?" Danny tried again, deeply worried about the sudden change in Steve's condition. His partner was still staring at him wide-eyed but it was clear that he was not really able to take in his surroundings. "Hey buddy, talk to me, what's wrong?" Danny asked, tightening his grip around Steve's arm as he let his gaze travel up and down Steve's body. He had absolutely no idea what was wrong with the other man, checking if he might have been shot or otherwise injured during the raid.

"I'm good," Steve's hoarse voice disturbed Danny's examinations and his eyes shot upwards to meet his friend's gaze. "It's gone," McGarrett murmured, slightly shaking his head as he averted his eyes and looked around in confusion. "It's gone."

"It's gone? What's gone?" Danny repeated louder than he had intended, his worry increasing another notch when he heard Steve's incoherent ramblings. "Steve, what are you talking about? Come on, man, you're scaring me here," Danny pressed on, not caring that his voice was laced with real fear that skyrocketed again when Steve just shook his head and started to smile. A billion different thoughts rushed through Danny's mind, starting with a possible stroke right through to a bunch of other, more or less absurd medical problems.

Closely watching his partner as he waited for an answer, Danny didn't know if he should be worried or annoyed about Steve's strange behavior. The lines of pain on the other man's face were gone and he looked a lot better than before, even if his complexion was still a lot paler than usually. "Steven, would you just please talk to me?" Danny asked when Steve's smile brightened a little bit, reluctantly loosening his grip around his upper arm a little bit.

There was a moment of silence and Danny was honestly contemplating the possibility to violently shake an answer out of his friend but then Steve's breath hitched in his throat and his eyes widened slightly. "No," he whispered, the tone of his voice so fragile and childlike that Danny instinctively stepped a little closer.

"What do you mean, no?" Danny tried to clarify Steve's statement, following the taller man's movement when he slightly turned around, apparently looking for someone or something. "No, you're not talking to me?"

Whatever Danny wanted to say next, his words were drowned out by the loud sound of a gunshot, cruelly disturbing the silence of the late morning. All sounds and voices around him seemed to stop for the amount of a heartbeat before hell broke loose when all the policemen started to move as one and shout at each other.

**(tbc)**

* * *

_Already starting with a little cliffhanger... hope you liked the first chapter. Thanks a lot for reading, more soon!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments, for all the favorites and alerts!_

* * *

Everything went smooth and fast and not even half an hour later one drug dealer was dead and three others in the safe custody of HPD.

Steve had been able to block out the annoying buzzing in his head fairly well during the raid but now the whispering noises were back and the headache from earlier that day was starting to bother him again for real. Wearily pressing the fingers of his right hand against his temple as he talked to the SWAT captain he opened the fasteners of his tac vest with his other hand and got rid of the heavy garment, sighing in relief when the gentle breeze cooled the back of his sweaty t-shirt.

McGarrett briefly thanked the other man with a slap on his shoulder, tiredly leaning against a wooden crate as he watched the captain walk back to his men. It took only a moment for him to gather his team and soon the black SWAT transporter left the premises, allowing Steve to throw a look at his own team.

Kono was just stowing away her own vest and her sniper rifle, a proud little grin playing around her lips. She had once again proved that she was an excellent shooter and Steve was glad to have her as a member of Five-0. He watched the young woman for a moment, squinting against the sun when the harsh light increased his headache. Throwing his vest at the crate behind him, Steve scrubbed his hands over his face and hair before he pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. He would have rather covered his ears to stop the constant murmuring but he knew that it would be to no avail.

Dropping his hands to his side, Steve opened his eyes and took another look around, flashing Danny a reassuring smile when he noticed that the smaller man was looking his way. Steve was aware of the fact that his partner had been watching him like a hawk from the moment they had left the car, keeping closer by his side than strictly necessary throughout the whole operation.

The air in the old warehouse had been dusty and hot and Steve was glad that he was finally able to breathe in fresh air again. He took a few deep breaths in the hope of fight back the nagging headache and wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead, but his head still felt like a giant vise pressed against his temples. His discomfort was apparently clearly visible because Steve saw how Danny worriedly furrowed his brow and headed his way after quickly ending his conversation with Chin.

Briefly waving at Danny to tell him that everything was alright, Steve pushed himself off the crate with an exhausted little sigh and grabbed his vest before Danny could even reach him. He made about two steps in his partner's direction when the buzzing sounds in his head suddenly became overwhelming and he had to squeeze his eyes shut in an attempt to ride out the bout of dizziness. He couldn't fight back the hoarse groan that escaped his throat as he blindly groped around for support, swallowing convulsively against the sudden nausea.

His eyes still tightly closed Steve dropped his vest and pressed one hand against his temple when he felt a strong hand curling around his upper arm, helping him to stay upright. He noticed his partner's worried voice, yet he was unable to grasp the meaning of his words over the noise in his head that seemed to increase with every passing second.

"Danny," Steve rasped helplessly, feeling a second hand press against the back of his sweat-soaked shirt which was uncomfortably clinging to his skin. The bile rose in his throat as he swallowed again, his breath coming in short, fast gasps.

He knew that Danny was still talking to him and the grip around his arm tightened until it was almost painful, but at the same time it was a welcome anchor that gave him something to concentrate on. The whispering increased until it was almost unbearable, the noisy agony in his head causing Steve to sway on his feet – and then, from one frantic heartbeat to the next, the sound and the pain were gone, replaced by a complete silence inside his head. Gasping in surprise he opened his eyes and stared at his partner, drawing in a shaky breath as he stood up straighter.

"Steve, can you hear me?" Danny asked, his eyes bright with concern and his voice laced with uncertainty and a hint of fear. "Hey buddy, talk to me, what's wrong?" Danny's grip around his arm was still strong as the smaller man eyeballed his partner, obviously looking for some hidden injury.

"I'm good," Steve replied hesitantly, licking his dry lips. He was still staring at his friend in open wonder, not really sure if he could trust the sudden silence. "It's gone," he murmured, slightly shaking his head as he let his gaze travel around without really seeing anything. "It's gone."

"It's gone? What's gone?" Danny repeated his words, his voice getting louder as he spoke, his agitation telling clearly how much he worried for the other man. "Steve, what are you talking about? What's gone? Come on, man, you're scaring me here."

'The voices', Steve was about to reply but when he thought about that answer he realized how weird that must sound and so he just shook his head again and awkwardly cleared his throat. He hesitantly started to smile, ignoring the impatient frown on Danny's forehead while he took another deep breath and just enjoyed the comfortable silence for a moment.

"Steven, would you just please talk to me?" Danny's voice reached his ears, annoyance and worry struggling for supremacy; he still had his hand on Steve's upper arm, only very reluctantly loosening his grip.

McGarrett was just about to say something when the buzzing started again in the back of his mind, almost inaudible at first like the soft rustling of leaves in a gentle breeze. "No," he whispered desperately, and then the breath caught in his throat when he clearly heard someone calling his name. Steve instinctively turned toward the familiar voice he had thought he'd never hear again; looking around for the origin of that voice, he was dimly aware of the fact that Danny followed his movement, his partner a constant source of strength by his side.

A loud bang disturbed the silence, the sound eerily reverberating in the canyon between the old warehouses and for a moment Steve felt nothing but a pressure against the right side of his chest as he slightly stumbled backwards. Slowly turning his head he stared into Danny's blue eyes, frowning in confusion when he saw the horror on the other man's face.

Steve blinked sluggishly and suddenly the pain hit him full force. Groaning hoarsely he couldn't prevent his knees from buckling as he slumped to the ground, his plunge only slightly delayed by Danny's grip around his arm. The blinding pain drowned out almost every other thought but his muddled brain provided him with a few details so that he was finally able to categorize the sound – gunshot, large caliber, probably a sniper rifle very similar to the one Kono had been using.

Coughing weakly, Steve tried to stay awake but the world around him suddenly started to lose all its color. He saw his partner kneeling by his side, Danny's mouth frantically moving but all Steve could hear was the sound in his head. The buzzing and all the noise had finally faded until only one voice was left behind, so familiar and comforting that he couldn't help but start to smile.

"Da…" he tried to say, the rest of the word swallowed by another pained cough and suddenly the simple task of breathing and keeping his eyes open seemed far too exhausting. A soft breeze tousled his hair, the cool air drying his sweat-covered face. The ghost of a smile still on his lips as he followed the voice into the darkness of his mind, Steve wasn't aware of the hectic activities that erupted around his body and with a soft sigh he allowed his eyes to slip shut.

* * *

Danny knew that he should look out for more bullets and better seek cover but his eyes and his whole attention were only fixed on his partner, leaving it to the capable hands of the other officers to secure the premises and find the shooter. Danny instinctively knew that something terrible had happened when Steve slightly stumbled backwards; he had literally felt the bullet, the force of the impact travelling through Steve's body and down Danny's arm.

His gaze flickered down to Steve's chest and his breath caught in his throat when he noticed that the gray fabric of his T-shirt was already beginning to turn red. "God, Steve," Danny stammered, tightening the grip around his friend's arm. He looked up, directly into Steve's wide eyes that showed nothing but confusion. Time seemed to stand still for a moment but then Steve blinked once and without further warning he slumped to the ground with a hoarse groan, just like a puppet whose string got cut.

Surprised by the sudden movement Danny could do nothing but follow down, trying to ease Steve's fall to the best of his abilities. "Steve," he repeated once more in a strained whisper before he jerked his head around. "Officer down," he yelled desperately, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Trusting that the other people knew what to do he turned back to his partner, his hands for a moment hovering over the bleeding hole in Steve's chest before he gritted his teeth and pressed down hard, swallowing forcefully against the lump in his throat when Steve did not even flinch from the touch.

"Stay with me, Steven," Danny groaned out, fighting back a bout of nausea when he saw the amount of blood that unstoppably seeped between his fingers. "Hey, stay awake, okay?" he added, frantically trying to draw Steve's attention.

A small rivulet of foamy blood trickled from Steve's lips when the dark-haired man coughed weakly but what was really freaking Danny out was the fact that his partner suddenly started to smile. "No, no, no, Steve, stay with me," Danny begged, a cold shiver running down his spine when he saw the expression of pure happiness that slowly crept across Steve's face. "Don't do that, do you hear me? Stay awake, Steve. Stay with me."

"Da…" McGarrett gasped out, the whispered word interrupted by another cough. A fine spray of blood covered the front of Danny's dress shirt and somehow Danny had the strange feeling that his partner hadn't been trying to say his name.

A gust of wind swept across the concrete pavement, tousling Steve's dark head of hair as well as Danny's blond one. The cool breeze was eerie and comforting at the same time and suddenly Danny knew for sure that he was no longer alone at Steve's side. It was the same feeling that he'd had earlier that day and he could almost feel a firm hand on his shoulder, urging him to stay close to his partner.

Danny had been blocking out all the activities around him but now he could hear rapid footsteps behind him and without turning around he knew that help was finally on the way. He silently begged Steve to hang on when the pool of blood beneath his friend's body was constantly growing with every passing second, and Danny knew that they were slowly running out of time.

"Steve," he whispered again but despite all his efforts to keep his partner conscious Steve's eyelids finally closed, the soft, content smile still playing around his blood-covered lips when he breathed out a soundless sigh and went limp beneath Danny's hands.

**(tbc)**


	3. Chapter 3

_Steve slowly blinked his eyes open and tried to perceive anything through the complete darkness that surrounded him like a thick veil. Slowly turning around his own axis, his hands outstretched in front of him, he tried to find a light switch, a door, a wall, anything that would help him to define his current position even if he somehow knew that he wouldn't find what he was looking for._

_He had no idea where he was or how he had come here, the last thing he remembered was a loud bang followed by an agonizing pain that had made it almost impossible to breathe. But now he was kind of floating in the darkness; he knew he was standing upright, but he didn't really feel his body. He didn't hear himself breathing, he didn't feel his heart beating against his ribs, he didn't feel any more pain. Carefully raising his hands to examine his chest, Steve frowned in confusion when he felt no blood, no injury, the fabric of his t-shirt soft and clean underneath his fingertips._

_He tried to remember what had happened, the frown on his forehead deepening. He knew that Danny had been there by his side, talking to him, begging him to stay with him but now he also remembered that there had been someone else, another voice in the back of his mind that had pulled him away from his partner._

"_Dad?" Steve timidly asked into the darkness, but his own voice faded away unheard and after a moment of silent contemplation he slightly shrugged his shoulders and just started to walk._

_Figuring that one direction was as good as any other Steve cautiously set one foot in front of the other, slowly at first but faster and faster with every passing moment until he was running at full speed. He could feel his feet hitting the ground, not really surprised that absolutely no sound reached his ears. It should have been weird but somehow Steve knew that everything was like it was supposed to be._

_He was running for what seemed like an eternity, never getting out of breath or becoming tired but finally he slowed down when the darkness seemed to draw back bit by bit. The tiny bit of light was apparently coming through some kind of door very far away and the nearer Steve got, the more he could see of his surroundings until he finally recognized that he was walking through an endless corridor without windows or doors, the walls dark and smooth without the slightest unevenness, nothing his eyes were able to rest on._

_Never looking back, Steve squinted at the illuminated door, blinking when he saw a figure stepping into the light. The man had turned his back on him so that he couldn't see his face but his dark silhouette was clearly visible against the lighter background and Steve involuntarily heaved a moan; he would recognize that stature always and everywhere and not even in his wildest dreams had he hoped to meet the man in person again._

"_Dad?" he asked hesitantly as he stopped dead in his tracks, his voice eerily floating across the dimly lit corridor. "Is… is that you?"_

_He stood there, rooted to the spot, nervously waiting for an answer. His whole being ached to go on, touch the other man, see his face, but for some reason he didn't dare to step into the bright white light so he just stayed in the shadows and waited._

_The breath caught in his throat when the figure finally turned around and he stared directly into his father's blue eyes. His old man was clad in his police uniform, just like Steve remembered him from his childhood and he looked a lot younger than the last time Steve had seen him._

_For a moment the two men just stared at each other in silence until Steve shakily inhaled a breath of air and slightly shook his head. "I don't understand," he said, almost invisibly raising his hands as he looked around. "Where are we? What am I doing here?"_

"_Always asking so many questions, just like when you were a little boy," John McGarrett replied, a wistful little smile playing around his lips as he proudly watched his son. "You were always so full of curiosity; it was such a joy to watch you grow."_

_John heaved a sad little sigh and slightly stepped backwards into the doorframe of light. "But you're not meant to be here, Steve," he said sincerely, his light blue eyes boring into Steve's darker ones. "Not yet. You have to go back."_

"_Back?" Steve asked, briefly looking over his shoulder into the dark corridor before he forcefully shook his head. "No," he said, hesitantly taking a step forward to follow his father. "I want to stay here… with you…" he begged and for a moment his voice sounded like that of a frightened child._

"_I heard your voice," Steve added after another long moment of silence, trying to convince his father to let him stay. Deep inside he knew that he didn't belong here but he just longed for another moment of intimacy with the man he would probably never see again. "You called me."_

"_I did what I could to protect you," John explained softly, the smile disappearing from his face when he listened to something behind him that only he could hear. "Now it's up to you to find your way back," he urged, defensively raising his hands when Steve stepped a little closer. "You have to go now."_

"_But I don't want to go," Steve said hoarsely, still not ready to accept his father's decision. He was now standing directly in front of the older man, only an arm's length away but still outside the circle of bright white light. "I need you, Dad," he whispered, feeling all the loneliness and bitterness from the last twenty years crashing down on him; he had allowed his father to send him away all those years ago but he certainly wouldn't give in so easily this time._

"_No, you don't need me anymore," John objected with a shake of his head, smiling when he watched his son for the last time. "You now have other people who care for you and who look out for you. You have to go back to them."_

_Without giving Steve the chance to reply, he took a step forward out of the light and placed his hand on the younger man's chest, directly where the bullet had hit him. A blinding flash of light erupted from John's hand and encircled the two men and Steve groaned in agony when the pain from the gunshot wound came back with a vengeance, almost driving him to his knees. He could feel the blood pouring out of the wound and soaking his t-shirt and suddenly he could hear his gasping breathing and could feel the strained, painful beating of his heart._

"_Goodbye, son," was the last thing Steve heard before everything around him became black again and then he felt how his body was violently yanked backwards through the endless corridor into the darkness._

* * *

Leaning forward in his chair, Danny placed his elbows on his knees and hid his face behind his hands. He had barely left his place at Steve's bedside, sitting vigil ever since his partner had been allowed visitors in his cold, clean ICU cubicle.

He didn't know how much time had passed since the incident that had rocked his world to the very core; hours at least but more likely days or even a whole week. One moment everything had been alright and the next thing he knew was that his partner had been slowly dying right in front of him, bleeding out right underneath his fingers.

Tightly squeezing his eyes shut, Danny tried to chase away the gruelling images of that day but he could still feel Steve's blood sticking to his hands and he could still see the soft, content smile on his friend's lips that had scared him more than he cared to admit; he just couldn't shake the feeling that Steve had known that he was dying and that he had accepted that outcome without even fighting it.

Shivering when he remembered the doctor's words Danny involuntarily moaned in worry, his head jerking upwards to throw a look at his partner, making sure that Steve was still alive and breathing. Because the dark-haired man had indeed died, his heart had stopped on the operating table for the amount of a good two minutes until the surgeons had finally been able to bring him back.

Puffing out a shaky breath, Danny rubbed his red-rimmed eyes and nervously got up from his chair. He was beyond tired but he just couldn't sit still and his mind jumped from one thought to the next, unable to dwell on anything longer than a few seconds. He knew that HPD had arrested the shooter but he just couldn't remember what else Chin had told him about the man that had nearly killed their boss. And it didn't really matter, the only thing that counted right now was that Steve was still alive and, according to the doctor, that he would make a full recovery. He had been insanely lucky; if he hadn't turned around at the last possible moment, the bullet would probably have done a lot more damage but the unexpected movement had most likely saved Steve's life.

Pacing in front of his friend's bed for what seemed like an eternity, Danny watched the constant up and down of Steve's chest, impatiently waiting for the other man to finally wake up. Hours passed without anything happening except for the regular visits of nurses and doctors who tried to reassure Danny that everything was alright but he knew that he wouldn't be able to calm down until Steve opened his eyes and talked to him again.

Exhaustedly slumping down into the uncomfortable chair next to Steve's bed when the day slowly turned into night, Danny tightly crossed his arms in front of his chest and stretched his legs. His gaze was fixed on his partner's face and he didn't intend to even blink until Steve was finally ready to wake up but against his own will and against his prediction that he wouldn't be able to relax, his eyelids began to flutter and his chin slowly dropped to his chest. Only a moment later Danny was fast asleep, the soft sound of his snoring completely in sync with Steve's breathing.

_Self-consciously flattening his tie against his chest, Danny tried to keep his head high as he quickly walked down the long corridors of the HPD building. He had just arrived on the island one week earlier and this was only his second day as a detective of the Honolulu police department. He was still trying to get accustomed to Hawaii, to the different way of living, to the people, but to be honest with himself, if it wasn't for his daughter, he would probably never have set a single foot on the pineapple infested hell hole._

_Completely ignoring the disparaging looks of his new colleagues when he entered the large office he only greeted them with a short nod before he made a beeline for his desk. He knew that they didn't want to have him here, just as much as he didn't want to be here. He was a foreigner, a 'Haole' as they used to call him; Danny didn't know exactly what the word meant but from the tone of their voices he knew that it definitely wasn't a term of endearment._

_Sighing silently he sat down at his desk and without another look at the other officers he opened one of the files that waited for him to get finished. He pretended to read but the letters blurred in front of his eyes when his mind deviated from the witness report and he thought about his current situation._

_Never before in his life had he felt so lonely; he had willingly followed Grace to the farthermost place he could imagine and apart from his daughter, his ex-wife and her new husband he didn't know a single soul on the island. Danny knew he had a ready tongue and usually he didn't have problems to establish new contacts but not so on Hawaii. Maybe the natives felt that he didn't want to be here, that he didn't want to fit in and that was why they didn't want to talk to him._

_Danny sighed again, bending down deeper over his file when he felt the eyes of his colleagues resting on him. Of course not everyone around him was hostile, some of them just treated him with complete indifference while some others seemed to be really nice, but deep down he had the nagging feeling that everyone thought he didn't belong here. He thought about Duke Lukela, the Hawaiian police sergeant who had showed him around on his first day, or about Meka Hanamoa, his new partner; both men had been genuinely friendly and Meka had even invited him home to meet his wife and his little son but Danny still had the feeling that it would be really tough for him to make new friends._

_A shadow suddenly fell on the half-filled page of his report and when Danny raised his head he saw an older officer standing in front of his desk, looking down at him with a piercing gaze out of light blue eyes._

"_Yes?" Danny said hesitantly, pushing his chair back as he slowly stood up and walked around his desk. His gaze flickered to the name that was embroidered in yellow letters on the right side of the man's uniform – J. McGarrett. "What can I do for you?" Danny asked politely; he had absolutely no idea who the man was or what he could possibly want from him._

"_Williams, right?" McGarrett replied, curiously watching the younger man for a long moment before he stretched out his right hand and waited for Danny to grab it._

_Firmly shaking hands the two men looked silently at each other until John slapped his left hand on Danny's right shoulder. "Take care of my son for me, would you?" he said solemnly, his voice laced with a hint of sadness that Danny couldn't really place. "He needs you."_

Waking up gradually, Danny breathed deeply in and out a few times, his forehead wrinkling in confusion while his mind was still caught in the strange dream he had just awakened from. Hesitantly blinking his eyes open he jerked to full awareness when he noticed that he still felt a touch on his right shoulder, a gentle squeezing of fingers before the sensation was suddenly gone.

Jumping up from his chair Danny wildly looked around, his heart racing in his chest as he scanned the small room with wide eyes but except for his injured partner in the bed he was completely alone. "What the hell," he murmured, brusquely scrubbing his hands across his face. As far as he remembered he had never met Steve's father in person but the dream had felt so real that he suddenly wasn't so sure anymore what was real and what not.

The weak groan behind him was almost inaudible but Danny whirled around in an instant and with two large strides he was at his partner's side. Smiling in relief when he saw that Steve's eyes were open he cautiously curled one hand around Steve's forearm while he pressed the call button with his other hand.

"Hey," Danny said softly, trying to get Steve's attention but the other man only locked eyes with him for the amount of a heartbeat before his gaze unsteadily flickered across the room, just as if he was looking for someone or something. "Hey, Steve, can you hear me?" Danny asked slightly concerned about the display of bemusement, emphasizing his words by gently squeezing Steve's arm.

"Danny?" Steve asked hoarsely, drawing in a deep shuddering breath that made the monitors above his head blink frantically, before he finally looked at the blond man. Surprise and confusion were clearly visible on his pale, haggard face and from the slightly disappointed look in his eyes Danny was sure that he had been hoping to see someone else.

"Yeah, it's me babe," Danny confirmed with a slight smile and very slowly the confusion on Steve's face morphed into an expression of recognition and he nodded weakly.

"Okay," Steve breathed out, sluggishly blinking his eyes as he licked his dry lips and swallowed laboriously. "Thought my Dad was here…" he murmured softly, his voice trailing off as his eyelids closed again in exhaustion and he slipped back into oblivion.

A shiver ran down Danny's spine when he heard Steve's words and for a moment he stared speechlessly at his friend, wincing in surprise when the door suddenly opened and a nurse rushed into the room. "He's just woken up," Danny explained when the young woman looked quizzically at him, wearily waving his hand through the air as he stepped back from the bed to give her a little space to check on her patient.

Steve's last words still ringing in his ears, Danny leaned heavily against the wall, not sure if his legs were able to keep him upright any longer. Maybe his partner was just confused, the physical trauma he had endured and all the medication messing with his head? But what if he had really seen his Dad? What if Danny's dream hadn't been a dream?

Staring wide-eyed into the room without really seeing anything, Danny tightly hugged himself, tucking his hands in his armpits to stop them from trembling. He knew for sure that he hadn't imagined the sensation of someone touching his shoulder and he could still hear John McGarrett talking to him in his dream.

Waiting impatiently until the nurse had finished her check and had reassured him that everything looked good and Steve just needed more time to recover, Danny settled back down at his partner's side and once again placed his hand on Steve's forearm.

"Everything's alright," he said soothingly when the dark-haired man started to quietly moan in his sleep, his fingers nervously twitching on the white sheets and his face contorting with discomfort. It took a moment of gentle talking before Steve relaxed again and Danny sighed silently when he watched how the lines of pain on Steve's forehead slowly smoothened.

Slightly shifting his weight in the chair to find a more comfortable position Danny leaned his elbow on the edge of the bed, his hand still warm and heavy on Steve's arm. He had never intended to leave his friend anyway but the more he mulled over his dream the more his resolution to look after Steve increased.

"I'll take care of him, I promise," Danny quietly whispered into the dimly lit room. He didn't turn around but he couldn't shake the feeling that someone was standing behind him, listening to his words and watching over them.

**(tbc)**


	4. Chapter 4

_This was originally supposed to be a little one-shot but somehow the story got a little out of hand. Anyway, here's the final chapter, I hope you like it.  
Thank you so much for sticking around until the end and for all your amazing reviews, I really appreciate them!  
_

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**Four weeks later**

Slowly steering his Camaro along the neat roads of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Danny wasn't really surprised to see Steve's dark blue truck already parked in the shadow of a large tree near his father's grave.

Steve had finally been released from the hospital two days ago; he was still weak and pale and even if only an angry red scar on the right side of his chest reminded of the terrible incident nearly a month ago he was still supposed to rest a lot and not overdo it. Of course he was also off-duty for the unforeseeable future and the fact that he wasn't allowed to do all the things he was used to doing almost drove the usually so agile man crazy.

Danny had moved in to Steve's house the moment his friend had been released, making sure that the other man stuck by the rules his doctor had set up for him – no swimming, no running, no bending down, no heavy lifting, nothing that would endanger the healing of his injured lung and chest. Danny could only imagine how hard it must be for his athletic partner to be limited to short walks on the beach and he knew for sure that sooner or later Steve would try something stupid and possibly harmful to his health.

But he certainly hadn't imagined that he would come home from work to find Steve's house deserted, not even 48 hours after he had picked up his friend from the hospital. After suffering a near heart attack and thoroughly scanning the ocean from the safety of Steve's private beach for any sign of his stray partner, Danny had finally realized that Steve's Silverado was also missing. Putting two and two together he had a fairly good idea of where his partner might have gone and without further hesitation Danny had climbed back into his car and had driven the short distance to the cemetery.

Parking the black Camaro right behind Steve's much larger truck, Danny killed the engine and turned his body to the right, circling his right arm around the headrest of the passenger's seat as he looked out the window, worriedly watching his friend for a moment from afar.

Steve was standing right in front of his father's grave, slightly hunched over, and even from the distance Danny could see that his shoulders were slightly shaking; he didn't have to see Steve's face to know that the man was probably crying.

Pensively playing with his car keys Danny wasn't really sure if he had the right to disturb that very private moment of raw grief but deep inside he felt a slight push, the feeling very similar to the one he had had right before Steve had been shot. He hadn't experienced any more supernatural sensations since that day in the hospital when Steve had woken up and to be honest, he wasn't really mad about it. Danny still wasn't sure what he had really felt or if his dream had been real, and he had never told Steve or anyone else about any of this.

Watching how Steve laboriously crouched down and bent forward to wipe the leaves and dirt from his father's headstone, Danny finally made his decision. He just couldn't stand to see Steve suffer anymore so he heaved a little sigh to prepare himself for the emotional turmoil that was probably lying ahead of him and got out of the car, stowing his keys away in his pocket as he slowly walked towards his friend.

"Thought I'd find you here," Danny said softly when he stepped to his partner's side, not commenting on the slight jolt that ran through Steve's body; his partner must be really out of it if he hadn't even noticed that someone was approaching him and usually Danny would have teased the other man about it. But contrary to popular belief he knew when to hold his tongue and now was definitely not the time to make fun of his friend. "Mind if I join you?"

He still couldn't see Steve's face because the dark-haired man had his head bent down, the fingertips of his left hand gently tracing the engraved letters of the word 'FATHER' on the headstone and Danny had to blink away a blur of tears when he watched the tender gesture.

There was a long moment of silence and Danny almost thought that Steve hadn't heard his words but then his partner slightly shook his head and took a shaky breath, brusquely running his right hand across his face. Trying to get up, Steve grimaced in pain when a sharp pang flashed in his chest and he involuntarily breathed out a hoarse moan as he pressed his left hand against his recently healed wound.

"You know, that's exactly why you're supposed to rest," Danny said, the tone of his voice an interesting mixture of exasperation and concern. He immediately grabbed Steve's elbow and gently helped him stand up, letting his hand rest on Steve's arm until he was sure that the taller man was steady on his feet. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly, raising his eyebrows when he heard Steve's unexpectedly honest answer.

"I have been better," Steve admitted quietly, much to Danny's surprise, smiling slightly when he noticed his friend's reaction. "Wow, now I know what you mean when you say I have aneurysm face," he joked but the humor in his voice betrayed the sadness that glistened in his eyes.

"Very witty, Steven, using my own lines against me," Danny retorted with an unimpressed little grin, frowning worriedly when he noticed that Steve was still absently rubbing his hand across his chest. "Are you sure that you're alright?"

"I'm good. It just hurt a little bit when I bent forward," McGarrett replied, dropping his left hand when he realized what he was doing. "Guess I should have listened to the doc," he said sheepishly with a little shrug of his shoulders.

"It just hurt a little bit?" Danny repeated, incredulously shaking his head. He could still see the lines of pain on his partner's forehead and the way the taller man tried to keep his upper body stiff told him clearly that the inconsiderate movement had hurt more than just a little bit. "Judging by the fact that you're as white as your t-shirt and that you weren't able to stand up on your own, I'd rather say it hurt like hell..." Danny's voice trailed off when Steve interrupted him mid-sentence and he huffed out an annoyed little sigh about Steve's words.

"I was able to stand up on my own," the dark-haired man contradicted in a slightly offended murmur. "I just wanted to stay down a little longer."

"Yeah, right," Danny snorted, dismissing the subject with a wave of his hands. "If you just believe it yourself, maybe it'll come true."

Both men fell silent and after a moment they slowly turned around to look down at John McGarrett's grave, folding their arms in front of their chests in an exactly mirrored movement. They stood so close to each other that their elbows were almost touching, each of them lost in their own train of thoughts.

"So, are you?" Danny finally asked hoarsely after a few minutes of comfortable silence, quietly clearing his throat. "Alright," he clarified when he felt Steve's confused gaze rest on him.

"How many times can you actually ask the same question?" Steve asked back, his voice laced with irritation. "I told you already that it didn't hurt that much."

Danny smiled slightly, knowing without having to look that now his friend was the one who showed his aneurysm face. "That's good to hear, Steven," he said, taking a deep breath before he turned to the right. "But what I really meant is," he explained, gesturing toward the headstone as he locked eyes with his partner, "are you alright?"

Pressing his lips together in a thin line when he finally got the meaning of Danny's question, Steve looked down at the smaller man for a long time before he hesitantly nodded his head and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know," he said slowly, obviously contemplating his next words. "I thought… when I… I thought I saw…" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper and he swallowed forcefully as his gaze briefly flickered to his father's name on the headstone. "Never mind," he cut himself off after a moment of silent brooding, blushing slightly as he sharply shook his head. "It's nothing, I'm good."

Sensing that there was more behind Steve's muttering than the other man wanted to let him know, Danny squared his shoulders and decided that this time he wouldn't let Steve shut off his feelings so easily. "You asked for your Dad when you woke up in the hospital," he said almost casually, narrowing his eyes when he saw the surprised expression on Steve's face. "You don't remember that?"

"No," McGarrett replied; his breathing unconsciously quickening as he tried to think back to that day but all he could remember was the pain in his chest and a blinding flash of light in an ocean of darkness.

"You said you thought he was there with you," Danny gently repeated the words Steve had said all those weeks ago in that hospital room. "You actually scared me a little bit that day," he went on without giving Steve the chance to interrupt him again. Shoving his hands deeply into the pockets of his pants Danny slightly hunched his shoulders, not sure how exactly he should tell Steve about what had happened. "I dreamt of your Dad, you know?" he finally explained, feeling that the direct approach actually might be the best. "A few nights after you were shot, in the hospital…" Danny's voice was uncharacteristically soft and he fought back a nervous little giggle before he licked his lips and continued his little speech. "He… he told me I should take care of you."

Sheepishly scratching his scalp he looked up at Steve who stared silently back at him, a strange glimmer in his wide open eyes. "That sounds a little crazy, doesn't it?" Danny tried to backpedal when his partner still didn't say a word, but then the confusion on Steve's face slowly disappeared, making room for an expression of quiet acceptance.

"No," the taller man said, hesitantly shaking his head. He had begun to remember a little more and the feeling that his father had been at his side after he had been shot was suddenly so strong that he just couldn't deny it. "No, it doesn't."

"I wish I'd known him," Danny said quietly after another moment of silence; briefly placing his hand on Steve's forearm, he flashed his friend a sad little smile. "I'm really sorry."

Slightly nodding, Steve quickly rubbed his hands across his face before he looked at Danny, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears as he tried to return the smile. "I think he would have liked you," he replied, drawing in a deep, shuddering breath that made him wince in pain when the movement pulled at his recently healed wound.

"Alright superman, that's it," Danny decided at that very moment, grabbing Steve's arm and gently pushing him towards their cars. "I think you've had enough for today. Let's go home."

"Just a moment, okay?" Steve knew that Danny was right, maybe he had really overtaxed himself a little bit, but there was something he had to do before he could go home.

"Okay," Danny agreed after he had studied the expression on Steve's face for a long moment, taking a few step backwards to give his friend some privacy. He watched how the dark-haired man bent his head and closed his eyes for a moment before he finally started to smile.

"Happy belated birthday, Dad," Steve whispered quietly, heaving a little sigh before he turned around and joined his partner.

Simultaneously looking back, the two friends threw a last glance at John McGarrett's grave, watching how the warm, orange light of the early evening sun reflected in the engraved letters.

JOHN McGARRETT

LT. NAVY

VIETNAM

DET. HPD

BELOVED HUSBAND AND FATHER

MARCH 15, 1942 – SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

They briefly looked at each other, slightly smiling in mutual understanding before they slowly walked across the neatly trimmed lawn. Cocking his head to the right, Danny narrowed his eyes when he suddenly clearly heard a voice behind them, the whispered "I love you, son" floating through the air and following them all the way back to their cars. Maybe he had only imagined it but when Danny saw the wistful smile that played around Steve's lips and the brusquely wiped away tear that rolled down his cheek, he was pretty sure that Steve had heard it too.

**THE END**

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_Thank you so much for coming with me on this little journey, I hope you enjoyed it.  
See you around!_

_Oh, and by the way... did anyone notice that I actually posted the first chapter in "real time"? No? I thought so *sigh* I intentionally waited until March 15th to post the story :-)_


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